ARC WELCOMES GOVERNMENT’S TRANSPORT PLANS

12 December 2003

The Auckland Regional Council today gave its whole-hearted endorsement to the Government’s transport plans, saying they would make a real difference to the problems facing the region.

Council Chair Gwen Bull said the package would provide the tools to speed up the implementation of an integrated transport solution for the Auckland region.

“This is excellent news as it clears the way for Auckland to begin to address its transport problems,” she said.

“Everyone agrees that the current funding and government arrangements, which resulted from previous reforms, are not working.

“Today’s announcement provides Auckland with much of what it has been seeking. It provides a lot more money for transport and pulls all transport modes and decisions into one place. Simply it means more money and less organisations and that is good for the region.” said Cr Bull.

She said it was important for all leaders in the region to unite behind the new arrangements and make them work.

Cr Bull said it was appropriate that the proposed new body should sit under the auspices of the ARC because it is an existing regional body.

“Auckland’s transport affects the entire region and should therefore be managed by a regional organisation responsible to the people of Auckland.”

She added that it was vital that the new body had clear accountability to the public for the delivery of outcomes, the use of their funds and the management of their assets.

“We must be able to achieve the best outcomes for the public at the least cost and that is only possible if the decision-making and funding allocation are located in one place,” she said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media